The Virtues
The Virtues were created to replace the Gods after the Great War. The Time of Chaos was harsh on the remnants of the once-great civilizations of the south, and without the aid of Divine forces disease and starvation were killing what few people remained. A group of former Clerics and Mages came together, and discovering that the power of the Gods was still there, infused into every piece of the world, they set about to harness it. Their success was the Virtues, seven aspects of life that the people could identify with, worship and use as an anchor for their devotion and a beacon for Divine power. This new religion spread throughout the world desperate for something to believe in, and soon every sentient being was revering them. When the Goddesses Ascended the Virtues were left to question their place now that the reason for their creation was gone. It took time, but eventually the Virtues decided that they were still important for the world, in being representative of human nature rather than abstract spirituality. This view was enshrined in the Divine Charter, and since then the Virtues and the Goddesses have not engaged in any open conflict. The Virtues are straightforward. They are exactly as they are named. The Seven prime Virtues together represent a harmonious being, at peace with itself and nature. However, since the world is not a perfectly balanced, harmonious thing, there are the aspects of each Virtue, shifted towards the idealism of good, or the cynicism of evil. It is not an evil act to worship an evil virtue, and many otherwise wholly Good people have been known to say a prayer in Pride or remind others that Patience is a Virtue. Similarly, the violently Evil are always calling on Glory and Courage to strengthen them. The Virtues are not like gods, though. They are forces, tied directly to the human condition, and they do not have minds or goals of their own. The Avatars of the Virtues provide intelligence and direction, but even they are just empowered Clerics, the Virtues themselves are mindless. One cannot sin against the Virtues, though one can fall short of them, or lose sight of them. Thus the burden of the power of the Virtues is entirely on the shoulders of the believer. The Cleric of Desire does not call on the Virtue for magical power, rather they use their own reverence of the Virtue to empower themselves. Similarly the gladiator does not expect the Virtue to come down and guide his arm, but rather prays to Strength in order to find the strength within himself. Some see this as a terrifyingly restrictive and lonely aspect to the religion, others say it is what makes the religion truly, joyously free. Clerics and Paladins of the Virtues either dedicate themselves to one of the prime Virtues, or one of its aspects. Again there can be no Clerics of the Virtues themselves, the Divine power does not respond to such diffuse reverence. There are many holidays dedicated to the Virtues, the most widely celebrated are the holidays of each of the prime Virtues. The most looked-forward to of these is Valmas, which falls on the Summer Solstice and is dedicated to Beauty. It is a four-day celebration of Beauty in all its forms, and there are parades, fairs, carnivals and any number of other activities that take place all throughout the world. 'Prudence' *'Symbols:' A watchful eye *'Alignment:' LN *'Domains:' Law, Knowledge, Artifice, Planning *'Favored Weapon:' Longbow *'Avatar:' Elinnas Vo’Mathiel, an Elven woman. Prudence is the virtue of knowledge and calmness. A Prudent man never acts rashly, never leaps before he looks. He is calm and watchful, and waits always for the best moment to act. Emotions are antithetical to Prudence, causing people to ignore what they know and act before they understand the situation. Prudence is slow to rouse, but ruthless and thorough when it takes action. All knowledge is sacred to Prudence, as the more one knows the better able one is to act. 'Patience' *'Symbols:' A bloodshot eye *'Alignment:' LE *'Domains:' Law, Protection, Evil, Greed Patience is the virtue of knowing exactly when and where to strike at your enemies to bring you the greatest reward. Patience has no tolerance for the emotional rages that often lead to downfall, and views with contempt anyone who is unable or unwilling to wait for that one perfect moment. Patience is a virtue that demands you ignore all but yourself and your own desires. Good and Evil are irrelevant to Patience, so long as you are using your knowledge and calmness to achieve your ends above all other things, and that makes Patience very evil indeed. 'Temperance' *'Symbols:' A half-lidded eye *'Alignment:' LG *'Domains: '''Law, Knowledge, Good, Mind Temperance is the virtue of knowing what the greatest good for the greatest number is, and working to achieve it. Temperance denies gut-reaction attacks against anything evil without first understanding the consequences of that reaction. Temperance dictates that sometimes what seems like evil now will become great good later, and that it must be abided. While Prudence itself makes no judgments between what is right and what is wrong, so long as the action is undertaken with full knowledge and understanding, Temperance demands that all acts be directed towards a greater purpose that will benefit all. 'Strength' *'Symbols:' An upraised fist *'Alignment: NN *'''Domains: Strength, War, Competition *'Favored Weapon:' Warhammer *'Avatar:' Muk’Gakakk Bloodsinger, an Orcish man. Strength is the virtue of the simple, physical overcoming of all obstacles. Strength is the virtue of Knights and Berserkers, and of all those who rely on the power of their bodies to make their way in life. For Strength there is no problem in this world that cannot be overcome with force, and this virtue encourages the application of force at every opportunity. Most often espoused by men (for obvious reasons), temples of Strength often host wrestling competitions and other venerations of raw physical might. Clerics of other virtues often look down upon the Clerics of Strength, seeing them as little more than thick-bodied idiots in love with their own muscles. Still, none of them would deny that they would lose in a fistfight to these boisterous holy men. 'Wrath' *'Symbols: '''An upraised bloody fist in a spiked gauntlet *'Alignment:' CE *'Domains:' War, Destruction, Evil, Darkness, Hatred, Wrath Wrath is the virtue of violence without direction. Wrath is the purest channel for aggression and emotion, without limit or reason. The wrathful use their strength against the weak because they can, and because they deserve it for being weak. Wrath denies restraint, for what restraint do the strong require? Wrath denies reason, for what other reason is needed than simply being strong enough to do it? Wrath is not malicious, it does not care enough about those it hurts to be, but it is vicious. The well of aggression that Wrath draws on is never empty. 'Courage' #'Symbols:' An upraised fist in a mailed gauntlet #'Alignment:' NG #'Domains:' War, Strength, Good, Courage Courage is the virtue of applying one’s strength against any foe, no matter how powerful, in the defence of those weaker. Courage does not demand the surety of victory, but it does demand that no challenge is backed down from. The weak must be protected by the strong, and strength possessed must be used. A courageous man does not seek out trouble, but he remains firm in the face of overwhelming odds, because he is the strong, and the truly strong never yield. 'Beauty' *'Symbols: An open flower *'''Alignment: CN *'Domains:' Chaos, Sun, Charm, Nobility *'Favored Weapon:' Rapier *'Avatar:' Ness, a Faeborn woman. Beauty is the virtue of greatness and awe; it makes all who behold it stand in wonder of it. All things strive towards beauty in some way, and those who have it are elevated above others simply for possessing it. Beauty is not only in form, it can be a beauty of spirit, of speech, of song or movement. Beauty is an excellence that both inspires and cows, showing the marvels of the heights but reminding the people of their place in the universal order. Beauty is passive, there to be seen and admired but not used or acted upon. Beauty can be distant from the world, merely observing events unfolding without making any intervention. This distance makes some clerics of beauty seem cold and unfeeling, as if supplicants and even great disasters are of no consequence next to the perfect beauty of one delicate flower. 'Power' *'Symbols:' A closed flower *'Alignment:' CE *'Domains:' Chaos, Death, Evil, Domination Power is the virtue of cowing others, of inspiring such respect and awe that they dare not raise a hand against you or your plans. The powerful wear their power like armor, and all those who see it recognize that here goes one greater than them. Power does not care whether this superiority is real, or even if it is believed by the one who uses it, Power only cares that others see it, acknowledge it, and bow to it. Followers of Power live to show people that there are far greater things in the world than they, and that they cannot hope to touch such greatness. 'Glory' *'Symbols:' An open flower, radiating light *'Alignment:' CG *'Domains:' War, Chaos, Good, Glory Glory is the virtue of inspiring awe in others through great deeds. Some mistake Glory for a selfish virtue, but its focus is not on the prestige gained, but on how it inspires others to their own heights. Without an example to follow, most people will simply live out their lives, working neither for better or ill, but merely existing. Glory shines to them and reveals all they could be, all the potential latent in every person that can be brought out. Followers of Glory live as if the world were as it should be, to show others what it can be, and thus spread the message of Glory far and wide in the hearts and minds of the people. 'Desire' *'Symbols:' An arrowed circle *'Alignment:' NN *'Domains:' Luck, Fate, Time, Creation *'Favored Weapon:' Glaive *'Avatar:' Kessa Wheelwright, a human woman. Desire is the virtue of wanting, of pure striving for something more. All things desire, even the dead. What they desire is irrelevant, only that they desire. Followers of Desire acknowledge many different types of desires, but pay special attention to those powerful desires peculiar to sentient species. A Virtue espoused by lovers, poets, and all who know the sweet sensation of longing, it is seen as the most sensuous of Virtues, and is most concerned with things physical, for the desires of the body are most common and easiest to fulfill. Desire is never truly satisfied, but it can be sated for a time, and controlled so that one desire does not dominate and overpower all others. 'Lust' *'Symbols:' A circle with arrows pointing outwards in all directions *'Alignment:' NE *'Domains:' Evil, Luck, Chaos, Lust Lust is the Virtue of desire run rampant. Lust knows no bounds, no limit to its wanting, and it will go to any length to see its desires met. Lust does not simply refer to sexual desire, it can be any overpowering desire that operates constantly, and is never fulfilled. Gluttony, megalomania or any other such obsession falls under the purview of Lust, though it is true that most often it is Sex that comes to mind when people think of this Virtue and temples dedicated to Lust often feature temple prostitution among their services. Followers of Lust tend to be straightforward with their desires, preferring quick gratification to prevarication, but some enjoy the thrill of seduction, and actively seek to turn others towards this Virtue by means of subtle persuasion. 'Love' *'Symbols:' A circle with arrows pointing inwards *'Alignment: '''NG *'Domains:' Good, Luck, Family, Purification Love is the Virtue of desiring one thing with all of your heart and soul, and desiring what is best for that thing above and beyond oneself. Love demands that one give their all to the object of their desire, and never do anything to harm it or confine it, or allow it to be harmed. Love asks nothing in return, it is itself the greatest reward. While one can love more than one thing, one cannot simply change the object of their love, for it is a desire that once felt remains with the Lover forever. Love is the favourite Virtue of Bards, whose stories and songs speak of the power of Love more often than any other aspect. 'Balance' *'Symbols:' A scale in balance, the yin-yang symbol (Pre-Ascension) *'Alignment:' NN *'Domains:' Balance, Nature, Protection, Healing *'Favored Weapon:' Scimitar *'Avatar:' Bervizinixx, an ancient Black Dragon. Balance is the Virtue of equality and harmony. Balance seeks to have everything in its place, and a place for everything so that the world may continue in perfect Balance with everything else, no one force gaining the permanent upper hand over another, and thus destroying everything. Worshippers of Balance stay neutral, only acting to even out forces that seem to be growing too rampant. It is one of the most worshipped Virtues by Monks and Druids, as it exemplifies the formers desire for harmony within the self, and the latter’s desire for harmony with all of nature. The most peaceful of Virtues, temples of Balance offer refuge and protection to any who would seek it, and often serve as temporary shelters to poor travelers who can otherwise afford no lodgings. 'Selfishness' *'Symbols:' A scale with the left side weighted down, the dark half of the yin-yang (Pre-Ascension) *'Alignment:' CE *'Domains:' Evil, Greed, Gluttony, Liberation Selfishness is the Virtue that places the self above all other concerns. Selfishness is intrinsically nihilist. It doesn’t care what anyone else wants or needs, only the self is important. It thinks nothing of using others, and will discard or ignore them the moment they are no longer useful. The Selfish take and never give, and they will not make allowances for others needs even if it will get them what they want. Selfishness is a cruel master, and the Selfish often quickly find themselves without friends or allies of any kind. There is nothing more important to them than themselves. 'Selflessness' *'Symbols:' A scale with the right side weighted down, the light half of the yin-yang (Pre-Ascension) *'Alignment:' LG *'Domains:' Good, Protection, Healing, Liberation Selflessness is the Virtue of losing the self in the needs of others. The Selfless does not hold anything back, nor are they concerned for their own losses, their own well-being. Everything they do is for others. The Selfless will refuse any personal reward for their deeds, instead using it to help ever more people. Selflessness is a demanding virtue, and for the truly Selfless, no rest can be had, for there is no end to the needs of others. 'Confidence' *'Symbols:' Three links in a chain *'Alignment:' NN *'Domains:' Knowledge, Strength, Purification *'Favored Weapon:' Mace *'Avatar:' Duggan Foamshield, a Dwarven man. Confidence is the Virtue of being ready to face any challenge. There is nothing the confident cannot accomplish, and unlike empty bravado, the promises of the confident will always be acted upon. The Confident warrior goes into battle knowing that he will survive, the Confident merchant sells his wares knowing they are the best. Confidence is not arrogance or ignorance, it is never reckless, it is an honest summing up of ones abilities and situation. Even if victory is in doubt, the Confident will always have a plan, and will be certain of their ability to carry it out. This is the Virtue of leaders and generals. 'Pride' *'Symbols:' A broken chain *'Alignment:' NE *'Domains:' Evil, Strength, Trickery, Pride Pride is the Virtue of believing oneself to be right, even if the entire world is against you. The Prideful have confidence because they refuse to acknowledge the possibility of failure. Some call this arrogance, but the Prideful will not let their confidence be false. The Prideful will go to any length, cross any line to achieve their goal and prove their superiority. All that matters is victory, even if it is a pyrrhic one. Followers of Pride will not allow themselves to be less than they claim, and they will let nothing and no one stand in their way. Followers of Pride brook no criticism, and will stubbornly hold their position against all attack, even if such defense is foolhardy. 'Righteousness' *'Symbols:' A chain with a lock on it. *'Alignment:' NG *'Domains:' Good, Sun, Destruction, Inquisition Righteousness is the Virtue of believing oneself to be right, and knowing that all that is true is with you. The Righteous have confidence not because they have fully weighed themselves and the circumstances in the balance, but because what they do is right and just, and the universe will see justice victorious. This is often called naïve or over-zealous, but it is through this unshakeable faith in the justice of the world that great good can be accomplished. Followers of Righteousness feel no doubt, and though they do not blind themselves to other factors they won’t allow any but the most solid evidence that what they do is wrong to sway them. 'Survival' *'Symbols:' A steel circlet *'Alignment:' NN *'Domains:' Destruction, Nature, Mysticism *'Favored Weapon:' Greataxe *'Avatar:' Coppergear, a Warforged. Survival is the Virtue of life. It is the core of instinct, the driving force that compels the frightened to run, the threatened to fight, it is what makes you want to breathe. Survival is not always personal, but its touch is always felt in a personal way. Those who follow Survival seek continuity, of the self, of the family, of the civilization, of the species, of the world. Followers of Survival seek to maximize that continuity wherever they can, be it in having children, fighting the monsters that threaten to undermine civilization, or joining the Blood War to ensure that the Outer Planes remain friendly to humanity. 'Rule' *'Symbols:' A royal crown *'Alignment:' NE *'Domains:' Healing, Knowledge, Evil, Domination Rule is the Virtue of dominance, of ensuring ones survival by being the top of the heap and commanding all those beneath you. Rule demands that you extend your will as far as you can, in order to ensure that your ideas and your society survive as you desire them. Rulers sacrifice much for their position, but that is secondary to the primary concern of Rule itself. Followers of Rule seek the highest positions they can attain, and will always try to leave their mark. Many politicians, courtiers and nobles are followers of Rule, but it is also a secret favorite of revolutionaries and anarchists. 'Peacefulness' *'Symbols:' A simple headband *'Alignment:' NG *'Domains:''' Healing, Death, Good, Repose Peacefulness is the Virtue of community, of bringing many together and surviving by weight of numbers. The good of the group is paramount to Peacefulness, and conflict is inimical to it. The central tenet is always the survival of the people, even above individual or family survival. Community betterment projects are a favorite task of the Peaceful. Followers of Peacefulness work to promote closeness both within nations and between them, and always speak of the ‘global community’ that needs to be protected. They will oppose any war, even those that otherwise are seen as just and necessary, though if the community is threatened they will fight fiercely to defend it. Category:Religion